Blog Post
How To Get That Extra Work Out Using Only A Backpack
Walking is a great way to get fit. Walking with a backpack is even better. Have you ever wondered why soldiers train with weighted packs on their back? This activity is called rucking.
What is rucking?
Rucking is marching or walking while carrying a loaded rucksack. During training, soldiers ruck up to 40 kilometers carrying a backpack that may weigh up to 90 kilos. According to Doug Kechijan, a former US Special Forces soldier and a physical therapy doctor, rucking delivers a lot of health and fitness benefits. Now for the ordinary person, it’s ambitious to follow the training program of the military. But to get the benefits of the activity, one only has to follow what they do. Just get yourself a backpack, add some weight (books are good alternatives) then go out and take a walk!
How to get that extra workout
Strength, endurance and experience determine how much you can carry comfortably. – If you’re starting out, it’s safe to carry weight that won’t be stressful. Experts at Kidshealth suggest carrying weight that is equal to 10 to 15 percent of your body weight to avoid injury. Once comfortable, you can start increasing the weight of your load to that which you are comfortable with. Nevertheless carrying more than 80 pounds or (36 kilos) was found to cause long term injuries. Make sure to choose a backpack that has wide padded shoulder straps to avoid shoulder pain.
Load the pack. – You can use anything as weights. You can use, books, bricks even dumbbells. Weighted plates designed for rucking are also available if you want specific weights for training. Be sure to wrap whatever it is that you want to carry in your bag with a towel or old T-shirt so it doesn’t move around too much when you’re walking.
Pick up your pack – and get on with it. Start walking. Start easy and slowly ease into the activity.
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The Benefits of Rucking
Burns calories – When combined with the appropriate lifestyle change, exercise is important for losing weight and the subsequent mainteinance of weight loss according to the Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. Someone who weighs around 136 lbs and walking at a rate of 4 mph for 30 minutes with a 5 lbs weighted back pack can burn up to 181 calories according to the HealthStatus website.
Builds endurance. – Rucking is a form of cardio. The benefits are similar to those gained from jogging. Rucking builds up hip and postural stability and makes you less prone to injury in other activities.
Easy and inexpensive. – You don’t need complicated equipment to enjoy rucking. All you need is a bag with weight in it and you’re good to go.
Gets you outdoors. – Outdoor activities offer a lot of benefits. It reduces stress, depression and anxiety. According to Nancy Wells, a Cornell University environmental psychologist, spending time exercising in parks increases positive moods and reduces cortisol levels, a hormone released when the body is under stress.
Working out doesn’t have to be within the 4 corners of a gym. Introduce some novelty into your workout. Wearing a weighted backpack as you explore the great outdoors can also be a great way to burn those calories.